Like a Virgin
by kimpy
Summary: Bella Swan wakes up one morning to an epiphany: She has given up on finding a boyfriend. What happens when she meets Edward Cullen the very same day? Age of Edward contest submission, 1980s Edward.


**AGE OF EDWARD CONTEST**

**Title: _LIKE A VIRGIN_**

**Pen Name: Kimpy0464**

**Type of Edward: 1980s**

**A/N: A special thanks to ManiacalMuse and WriteOnTime for being guinea pigs and fuckawesome writers that they are.**

**Of course SM owns, but I own up to my really wicked case of OCD. **

**MONDAY**

My eyes open suddenly and, in my hazy, semi-conscious state, I take in my surroundings. For a brief moment, I can't figure out where the hell I am. As my mind slowly awakens from its slumber, I recognize that I'm in my dorm room. I remember that I recently returned home after living abroad in France for a year. I remember that my 21st birthday is in five short days. And that's the moment my epiphany hits me with a perfect, sudden clarity: I don't want to be the person who is constantly seeking out a boyfriend anymore. I'm completely done with that shit. I resolve to be perfectly content on my own, to become that crazy old lady perpetually surrounded by cats. I know that I am a bright, independent, stubborn, and feisty woman, and, suddenly, I'm okay with that. For the first time in my life, I can truly state that with conviction.

I'm amazed that I feel so at peace with this realization. My entire life, I have been desperately searching for my other half. I always believed I would somehow be validated if a guy found me attractive. I'm the kind of person that puts the "plain" in plain Jane: Plain brown hair, plain brown eyes, plain tomboy outfits. My best friends from high school, Alice and Rosalie, were the popular ones; they _always_ had boyfriends, or guys who were interested in being their boyfriends. I, on the other hand, was smart, studious, a little geeky, and a complete nonconformist. My dad, Charlie, is the Chief of Police in our small town of Forks, Washington. My mom left when I was just a baby; she just couldn't handle the responsibilities of being a mom, living under a microscope in such a small town, and being tied down with my dad. Even if my plain looks _were_ enough to draw anyone in (and, clearly, they weren't), my family situation was enough to scare them away. How could I possibly stand out next to a glamazon like Rosalie or a petite charmer like Alice? The only thing I could offer up to a guy is a combo of snarky remarks and an encyclopedic knowledge of punk music. Not really the kind of traits that lead guys to flock to your doorstep. Still, I always hoped that there would be someone out there for me. Although I would never admit it out loud, I'm still chagrined that I was never invited to a dance or a prom. I mean, who in the world doesn't go to their high school prom? Geeky Bella, that's who.

But this morning, my world turned upside down when I finally recognized that I could be perfectly content on my own. Let's face it—if I don't get my v-card stamped by the time I'm 21, it probably isn't gonna happen. Not that I don't want it to, but I am pragmatic—the likelihood is not great. I don't feel like I'm giving in by giving up, it's more like I don't need a guy to complete myself anymore. I'm satisfied with who I am today. And it feels, well, _liberating_.

Alice, Rosalie, and I share a trio suite in the dorms this year—it consists of three single rooms with a shared living space. Since I spent a year abroad last year, they started college a year ahead of me. They are just as popular as they were in high school, and naturally they both have boyfriends. Alice and Jasper met in their Psych 101 class, and Rosalie met Emmett at some bar—a one-night stand that never ended. So, in essence, I have four roommates, as they are all joined at the hip. That leaves me as the perennial third wheel, but at this point, I honestly don't mind, because Jasper and Emmett are really great guys. I feel totally comfortable hanging with them, and in the short time I've known them, we've all become extremely close. The fact that Jasper is a closet Clash freak definitely helps. He doesn't know them like I do, but he at least knows about them, which earns him huge brownie points. It seems like no one I know truly understands my taste in music aside from Jasper, so we are totally comrades in arms. As for Emmett, he might act like a big, tough, idiot jock, but he's not. I secretly suspect him of being a gooey marshmallow inside, and I'm working hard to find ways to pull that out of him.

As the wave of post-epiphany peace washes through my system, I make myself a promise: _I'm going to get a hair cut today_. While that might not seem like a big deal, it is. I've had long hair forever. Since today is the dawn of a new me, I'm going to symbolize my inner change with an outer one. I've always been so scared of looking as different as I feel, probably because of Rosalie and Alice's influence, but that era is officially over as of today. I call the salon and book an appointment in a few hours, so I won't have time to chicken out.

Immediately after I hand up, Alice calls. She begs me to meet them all for lunch at the last minute, and I'm immediately wary.

"Hey Bella, you're finally awake!" I hear Alice chime.

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, that's precisely why I didn't pick any 8:00 classes, Thumbelina!" I whine. I've never been a morning person.

"Well, we were wondering if you wanted to meet all of us for lunch today, unless you have other plans."

"Wait a minute—who is _we_?"

"God, Bella, I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition! It's just the usual group: Me, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett."

"No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!" I intone in my finest faux-British accent and cackle mercilessly.

I hear Alice groan loudly. "Look, just answer the question: Are you coming, or not?"

Thinking it over, I realize that I will have enough time to get my haircut and make it to lunch with them. I grin to myself about how well my "makeover" will sit with my friends, and begin my evil plot to surprise the hell out of them. "Sure, that sounds fun actually. What time and where?" I answer easily.

"We were just gonna go to the caf around 12:30. Meet you out front?"

"Sounds totally awesome. I'll see you guys then."

I pull on a pair of skinny black jeans with the requisite holes in the knees, a concert t-shirt, an old sweatshirt covered with graffiti, and my favorite black pointy-toe shoes, then run out the door and down to the salon.

"You want to cut this all off? Really?"

"No, not _all_ of it!" I sigh loudly. "Just cut it into a bob, make the whole thing asymmetric, you know like the lead singer of Human League? Then add fuchsia streaks."

"Fuchsia?"

"Yes, _fuchsia_._" Jesus, is it that difficult to understand?_

Two hours later, I'm cut and colored and grinning like the Cheshire Cat. I _love _it! _This is exactly what the new Bella needed!_ I position myself outside the caf and wait for my friends. I hear them approaching in the distance, but that's not what captures my attention.

_Holy hell, who is that?_

I see the most beautiful boy in the world walking up to the doors. He is tall and lanky, his hair is beautifully messy, a la Robert Smith, and he has these fabulous bronze streaks sprinkled throughout. His bangs are cut long and constantly hang into his right eye. His jaw line is a perfect 90 degree angle, and his chiseled chin has a gorgeous divot right in its center. He looks like he's been sculpted from marble (if marble could sprout a 5:00 shadow). He's wearing black jeans full of holes in all the right places (_Bingo!_), beat up Keds high tops, and a _Frankie Say Relax_ t-shirt.

_No. Fucking. Way._

My eyes go wide and verbal diarrhea begins to spew forth from my mouth. "Well, fuck me gently with a chainsaw, Heather! I think I just died and went to heaven!!" I scream out a line from my favorite movie, _Heathers_, at the beautiful, confused boy standing in front of me.

I proceed to rip off my sweatshirt, not thinking about what this must look like to the beautiful boy I don't even know. It is at that moment I look into his eyes—a pair of eyes so fucking green, it has to be contacts. Seriously. That color of green just doesn't exist in nature. His eyes part from mine, and look over the t-shirt I revealed moments earlier when I abruptly stripped in front of him.

A quick, sideways grin appears on his face as he tilts his head. "Well, what do you know?_ Frankie Say Relax,_ huh? And by the way, I love the way she used the word myriad in her suicide note," he continues, adding another quote from _Heathers_ without missing a beat.

"Well, our love is god. Let's get a slushie!" I reply with another line from the movie, and we both laugh our heads off. It is at that moment I recall that we are not the only two people in the world, that we are totally holding up the lunch line, and that my friends are staring at us like I just beamed down from Tattoine. I hear a mix of questions tumble out of everyone's mouth at once:

_Bella, what the HELL did you do to your hair? – Alice_

_Swan, you can't just strip in public! – Rosalie_

_You KNOW Edward? – Jasper_

_What am I missing? Someone PLEASE explain what I am missing! – Emmett_

On top of all their questions, I turn to the beautiful boy, he turns to me, and we both say simultaneously, "You're Edward?" "You're Bella?"

I instantly deduce several things. First, my sneaky friends had set me up, like I wouldn't notice the sudden addition to our original head count. I've been hearing about this "Edward" dude for a while, and avoiding a set-up like the plague. Second, Edward not only has heard of, but also has in his possession, a Frankie Goes to Hollywood t-shirt. As much as I love them, no one else has ever heard of them before. And _He. Is. Wearing. Their. T-shirt_. Third, he knows and makes the same obscure pop culture references that I do—I mean, the guy can quote from _Heathers_ verbatim. And finally, all of these things are whirling around in my brain within hours of my making a pact with the universe that I no longer want, nor will I seek out, a boyfriend. It's like the planets all aligned in that moment. This realization takes place at lightning speed in my mind. A split second later, we both scoot out of the way, let the line re-start, and stare at one another, while our friends stare at us.

Flabbergasted, I sputter out, "You like Frankie?"

"Hell yes! I saw them in Chicago and it was amazing!"

"No. Way. I saw them, too, but I was in Paris!"

"Paris? What? How?"

"Oh, I lived there for a year. I'm a freshman this year, but Rose, Alice and I graduated from high school together."

I hear something, vaguely, from behind me. "Bella, Edward, we're going through the line now…"

Edward and I move together to get in line, our eyes never leaving each other's faces. We move through the line completely unaware of anything happening around us. I have no idea which items I have selected to eat; I'm just randomly adding things as we move along. We don't stop talking the entire time. When we need to find where our friends went to sit, it's like we have to pull two magnets apart—our gaze separates only briefly. We find the crew, and begin chatting once again.

We sit down across from each other. I learn that Edward is from Chicago and is a pre-med student, and explain to him that I am an English major who wants to be a writer. He knows Emmett and Jasper because they all lived in the same dorm last year. We love the same kind of music, which is a total plus. My favorite band is The Clash, and his is David Bowie. We have so many common interests that I am just in awe. It's almost like we've been moving separately through parallel lives, only to arrive at this same point in time to meet in front of a cafeteria door.

Edward's vantage point of the cafeteria allows him to peruse all the new arrivals—a virtual smorgasbord of teasing. He announces each arrival with the snarkiest comments he can think of, and I am laughing my ass off the entire time.

"Oh look, it's the Bananarama triplets!" I understand the implication immediately. There are three freshman girls who have their hair teased into oblivion. "But they are also known as the Bulimia triplets, because they run straight for the bathroom after every meal…"

"Heather, Bulimia is _so_ '87," another one of my favorite quotes. Of course, Edward recognizes it and laughs along with me.

I hear Rosalie snicker at his comment about the triplets. She cattily points out, "Hey Edward—isn't that Bug Woman?"

Okay, now I need to ask for clarification. "Bug Woman?"

Edward grins and explains, "Yeah, she lived in our dorm last year, and the first time we met her, she was running around the room swatting at imaginary mosquitoes. She kept screeching out, 'Bugs! Bugs!' Hence the nickname."

"Oh, and there's Bono. And Mutant Swede."

"Mutant Swede? What the fuck?"

"He's like 7 feet tall and has black hair and dark eyes—the polar opposite of what a Swede is supposed to look like."

"Remind me never to get on your bad side, Edward! I'm beginning to wonder if you ever call anyone by their proper name."

"Now where's the fun in that?" he winks at me.

Alice and Rosalie choose that very moment to spill some vicious information about me, which, in light of my morning epiphany, is completely irrelevant. "Well, Edward certainly won't be thrilled to hear you have the hots for Mike Newton, then Bella!"

Edward looks at me with the strangest expression I've ever seen—it appears to be a mixture of disbelief, shock, anger, and outright amusement. "No. Fucking. Way. Dude, you _cannot_ be serious. Newton? That asswipe? I was beginning to think you were pretty cool, Bella, but now you just shot that all to hell."

"Now wait a minute," I reply in an attempt to explain myself. "I thought he was attractive _until_ I actually got to know him. Then I figured out he was a complete social moron and re-evaluated my previous assessment."

"What does your assessment tell you now?"

"That it's a 'fine line between clever and stupid.' Duh, that he's a social moron! A cute social moron, but not someone I'm going to pine over."

I turn my attention to the girls, while I whack Alice in the shoulder. "By the way guys, I thought you were supposed to be my best friends?! Anyhow, I have an announcement to make: I am no longer interested in dating anyone. I'm just gonna turn into a male-hating feminist who lives alone with 10,000 cats when I grow up."

Alice and Rosalie's jaws drop. Emmett and Jasper make a "psshh" noise, grin their typical shit-eating grins, and Edward looks as if he has found god.

Before the girls can even recover from my announcement, Edward jumps right in. "I don't date anyone, either. You know once bitten, twice shy kinda thing. You just redeemed yourself in my eyes, Bella."

"Dude, your waffling back and forth is going to sprain my neck—I can't keep up with you!"

"Just like to keep you guessing," the King of Smirks replies.

Alice and Rosalie are still glaring at me. Alice points her child size finger at me and says, "We are _not_ finished talking about this, Bella. We _will_ get your head straightened out, even if it means a night of heavy drinking and a hot one-night stand!"

Edward and I rolled our eyes at the comment and both start laughing out loud together. When we take a moment to breathe, I notice that nearly everyone is gone from the cafeteria, our friends included. I start to giggle.

Edward looks at me, confused. "What?"

"Did you notice that all of our friends left?"

He turns his head around, the shrugs his shoulders. "Oh. Well, fuck 'em. Do you have anything going on this afternoon?"

I look at my watch. "SHIT! I am totally supposed to be in class right now!"

"Well, let's just skip and you can hang out with me and listen to music."

I try to act all cool and nonchalant. "Sure, I could do that."

We walk across campus to Edward's apartment that he shares with Emmett and Jasper. He has a huge stereo system in his room and proceeds to give me a mini lecture on why the Denon stereo is so much better than all the others on the market—he really knows his shit. I love how serious he is about his music; it isn't about the brand alone, he truly buys high quality because it enhances the sound. I make a comment wondering if the volume goes up to 11, and he totally gets it. I crack myself up at the reference. I sit down in front of the stereo and start looking through his album collection. He puts on _Heroes_ by Bowie and we listen to it and hang out.

While we talk, I look around his room, and I'm surprised by a couple of things. I notice that his bed is made. I don't think I've ever seen a college guy's room that you could set foot in, and definitely not one with the bed made. _Is this guy for real?_ He doesn't have any posters of semi-nude women on his walls, just bands and movies. _Hmm_. He takes off his jean jacket and hangs it in his closet. My interest is now totally piqued.

"Edward, you are the only guy I've ever met who makes his bed and hangs up his clothes. You aren't secretly gay, are you?"

He smirks, "If I were _secretly_ gay, do you think I would tell you?"

"Oh, I guess not. Don't get me wrong—I think it's awesome. That you're neat, I mean, not that you're gay. I just figured that you had to be gay if you were so neat."

"Okay, if you really want to freak out, look at my drawers."

I raise one of my eyebrows.

"I mean my _chest_ of drawers, ya perv!" he says as he slides one open. All the clothing within is folded. I think I may have "ooohed" a little bit upon seeing the contents.

"Dude, you are seriously too good to be true. Honestly." He gives me a funny look, when it suddenly dawns on me that he might think I have the hots for him. I feel compelled to explain my position.

"Umm, I think I should probably just say this out loud, to get it out of the way…you know, clear the air," I trip over the words as they tumble out of my mouth. "Like I said earlier, I'm not looking for a boyfriend or anything. I just kinda decided recently that I am flying solo from now on. So, I'm not trying to pick you up or anything like that…"

"Well, I didn't really think that you were, but I appreciate your being honest with me. I went through a really bad break up over the summer; we had been together during high school and all last year, but she just broke it off suddenly. So, I guess you could say I have no interest in dating, either."

"Cool! So we can totally just be buds! I mean, if you want to keep hanging out, that is."

"Bella, I can't think of anything I'd rather do. You are the coolest person I've met in a long time, definitely the coolest chick I've ever known. You're totally a WYSIWYG kind of girl. I like that."

I'm not sure what it is that makes me trust Edward so implicitly, but I do. I'm having no problems spilling my guts to him. "To be honest, Edward, I'm not that used to hanging out with guys; I've never even had a boyfriend. I won't change who I am just to lure in a guy. You either like me as I am, or you don't. And, mostly, guys don't."

"I don't think you see yourself very clearly, Bella…you're pretty hot. I think your hair is totally cool, by the way."

"I just did it just this morning on a total whim, which is so unlike me! I've wanted to do it forever. And hot? Naw, that's you. _I've _never been accused of that before. I'm just a plain Jane, but I do rock it. I'm not ashamed of that anymore."

"Why in god's name would you be ashamed of how you look? You are definitely no 'plain Jane.' There were guys scoping you out all over in the cafeteria—did you not see them?"

"Yeah, right. Dry that one out and you can fertilize the lawn, Ferris."

"I'm serious! You just weren't paying attention. That hair cut of yours is fucking hot."

I blush furiously when he mentions the word hot. _Damn it, why do I always do that?_

"Oh my god, you just blushed. I didn't think anyone did that anymore!"

"Yeah, I do it all the fricking time. Drives me nuts."

He lowers his voice to nearly a whisper. "I think it's kind of cute."

I blush again. _Seriously? Can we not do this right now!_

"I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with that particular response of yours…"

I punch him in the arm and we both laugh. Suddenly, there are keys jingling in the lock of his front door. Although we aren't in a compromising position, we quickly jump apart from one another and the record skips loudly.

"What the hell are you two up to?" I hear Emmett's voice boom.

Emmett enters the living room, followed by the rest of the "Fantastic Four."

Edward says defensively, "We were just listening to music, Em. God!"

"It wasn't Duran Duran, was it? Because we ALL know what happens with Duran Duran, don't we?" The Fantastic Four all hoot and holler. I look into Edward's face, confused.

"Our private joke is that Duran Duran is 'make-out' music," Edward grimaces.

"Oh." I shrug. "Well, we're listening to David Bowie, so it's all good."

"Bella, I need to warn you that _any_ music Edward listens to is make-out music."

Edward glares daggers at Emmett. Jasper watches the exchange and attempts a pre-emptive strike.

"Em, they just broke up a month ago. Give the guy a break, huh?"

Emmett just laughs and walks into the kitchen. "Like, who wants a beer, eh?" trying his hardest to channel the guys from the Great White North. Rose and Alice plop on the couch and hold up their arms. Edward leans over and whispers, "I'll be right back."

I nod my head, and follow him out to where Rose and Alice sit. Alice is practically squirming in her seat, and Rose just gives me an all-knowing glance. Alice is first to speak.

"Bella, I can't believe you spent the whole afternoon with Edward! That's so awesome! It's like you didn't even hear us when we left you at lunch to go to class!" she squeals.

Apparently, my previous renouncement of men and dating has been forgotten, or at least shoved into a very lonely corner all by itself. I need to set this shit straight, once and for all.

"I guess I should explain that epiphany I had this morning. I decided that I'm through with trying to find a boyfriend. I'm clearly NOT going to stamp my v-card before my 21st birthday, so I've given up."

Rose and Alice look at each other, then look at me and scream out "NO!" at the same time.

"Yep. That's why I went and got my hair done today. This is the brand new Bella."

"Bella, you can't be serious! I know you just met him, but Edward is perfect for you! We've been scheming for weeks to get you two together, ever since he broke up with Tanya," Alice pouts.

I speak just above a whisper, but my tone is fierce. "I'm _totally_ serious, Alice. And besides, he is SO out of my league it isn't funny, not to mention that he's fucking intimidating as hell. Edward as a friend? Absolutely. As a boyfriend? No way, no day."

Rose shakes her head. "Bella, have you seen how he looks at you? He _never_ looked at Tanya like that. Honestly."

I just roll my eyes. They didn't get it, and they never would.

Edward comes in with two beers for us. "Did you want to listen to the Cure's new album with me?"

I smile up at Edward and follow him into his room, shutting the door behind me, which muffles the "oohs" and "ahhhs" and laughter of our friends.

As we sit there, drinking our beers, Edward carefully puts one album away and places the next on the turntable. I slip off my shoes and sit back on his bed. It is then that I realize how comfortable I feel with him. I don't think I've ever been in a guy's room by myself before, and here I am sitting on Edward's bed. I'm surprised that I don't feel the need to fill our silence with verbal diarrhea, like I usually do, which must mean that Edward is destined to be my friend. I feel like I could tell him anything; I've never had anyone like that in my life before. Alice and Rosalie can't really empathize with my insecurities about guys. Charlie is as awkwardly reserved as I am, so I can't really talk to him, either. But Edward? He's different. He seems to accept me at face value, and it's the coolest feeling in the world. So I sit there, drinking beer with my new friend who I feel like I've known forever, and we share some of our deepest thoughts.

"So, Edward, you're from Chicago. Why did you move all the way out to Washington to go to school?"

"Well, my mom and dad are from Washington, so I spent a lot of time here when I was growing up. Then my girlfriend at the time, Tanya, wanted to come out here, so that kind of decided that for me."

"Does she still live here?" I don't really want to think about running into Edward's beautiful ex-girlfriend, even if he and I are only friends.

"No, she broke up with me right before school started, told me she hated Washington and would not be coming back with me. She knew all summer long that she wouldn't be coming back, but she never told me."

"Edward, I'm really sorry. That just sucks."

"Thanks. It's really for the best, though, because who wants to be stuck with someone so narcissistic and shallow?"

"I suppose, but that probably doesn't make it feel any better."

"It doesn't."

"Bella, you told me earlier that you've never had a boyfriend—is that true?"

I know I don't need to lie about this, not to Edward. "Nope. I've never had a boyfriend. My dad is Chief of Police in Forks, so that scared a lot of guys away. Plus, I'm kind of a tomboy and pretty much dance to my own beat, and that doesn't tend to attract the guys in droves, you know?"

"Yeah, but you've kissed someone before though, right?"

_Cue the blush._

"You don't need to be embarrassed about telling me. I'm just curious about you."

_Still blushing._

"I'll take that as a 'no.'"

_Blushing deeper._ I suck in my breath and prepare to answer.

"Well, Mike Newton tried to kiss me in third grade, but I wouldn't let him. Sadly, that's as close as I've ever gotten."

"Really? Wow. I didn't realize you guys had such a long and sordid history. I'm curious—is that before he became a social moron, or after?"

Now I feel kind of hurt. "Ha-ha, I can hardly stop laughing. This isn't _my _fault! It's not like I never wanted to be kissed. No one ever asked me."

"Bella, I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry. It's just that sex is such an awesome part of life, and your not having ever experienced it before, it just surprises me. I'm certain there must have been guys who were interested in you. Like today in the cafeteria, you didn't notice that they were looking at you. I'm sure that isn't the first time that happened."

"Yeah, I've had to fend them off with a whip. No, I'm pretty sure there isn't anyone interested in kissing me. That's just my reality, and I've accepted it."

"Bella, you should never just give up on something like that! If you want to be kissed, you should let it happen. How sad would it be to never experience that in your life?"

"Edward, I've already explained to you—it isn't that I don't _want_ to be kissed, I'm just not sure it will _ever_ happen. I'd love for it to happen. I think about it a lot, actually."

"You do?"

"Of course I do! I'm not a freak, Edward!"

"I wasn't implying that you are a freak, Bella. I'm telling you not to give up on finding someone. It closes you off to some of the best things in life."

"Oh, yeah, like people lying to you all summer long and then leaving you high and dry?"

Edward looked away from me and coughs. Instantly, I feel terrible.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. That was a low blow."

"Yeah, it was."

"I have a problem with my verbal filter sometimes. Truly, I'm sorry."

"It's just still a little fresh. But I have to say, even though I've just gone through a really shitty experience recently, _I _haven't given up completely."

"But you said you weren't interested in dating anyone…"

"I'm not right now. But that doesn't mean I never will be. You've made the choice to be alone for good, without even knowing what you're giving up."

"Well, now that you put it that way, I see what you mean. Maybe I'm just trying to avoid disappointing myself in the future, in case it never happens for me," I say, as I look down at my hands. Before I even realize what is happening, I tear drops onto the back of my hand. Of course, Edward notices.

"Hey, Bella, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry," he tells me, soothingly. He comes over to his bed and sits next to me, taking my hand into his.

"It's just that you deserve so much better than that. Don't sell yourself short. You should never go through life not knowing what it feels like to be kissed. Ever."

I look up at Edward, see his beautiful green eyes looking deeply into my soul, and I know he is right. I've never been a particularly wise person, but somehow, I just trust him. My gut tells me he is okay. And for once, I listen to my gut. It's telling me that I need to get my first kiss. _Right. Now._ I reach up and touch Edward's bottom lip with my thumb. As I rub his lip slowly, back and forth, I notice that it is incredibly full, round, and succulent. He lightly kisses my thumb. I move my palm to cover his mouth and part of his cheek, and he kisses that, too. His eyes never leave mine; I feel like I am looking into the eyes of a cobra—I'm completely mesmerized and it renders me unable to form words.

Edward whispers to me, "Can I give you your first kiss, Bella?"

Instead of answering, I dive forward, crushing our lips together. The second our lips touch, I feel a jolt run through my entire body and out through my toes. If I didn't know better, I would say I just got struck by lightning. My eyes open widely and look into his. What I see there is the mirror image of my own, so I know he feels it, too. I have no idea what I'm even doing, but somehow my body is running on pure instinct. I take his lower lip into mine and suck on it slowly, producing the most heavenly moan I've ever heard in my life. He sucks my lip into his, then gently brushes his tongue over my lips, silently asking for entry. I open my mouth to be greeted by his soft, warm, velvet tongue. I'm instantly moaning and panting, weaving my fingers into his beautiful mess of hair. All I can think of is the scene in _Sixteen Candles_ where Sam and Jake Ryan are sitting in front of her birthday cake, and he kisses her. You know, one of those epic movie kisses that you'll never forget? That's _exactly_ what this kiss is like. He breaks our lips apart for a moment so we can catch our breath.

"Bella, I'm sorry…is this okay with you? I've never done this before, I mean so soon after I've met someone, and I don't want to make you feel pressured or uncomfortable. But I have to say, I'm having a really hard time believing that you've never kissed anyone before—you pack a _very _powerful punch!"

"Of course I've never done this before! I have no idea what I'm doing…it just feels so _wonderful_. I never imagined it like this."

"Oh, it isn't usually like this, believe me. I don't know what it is about you, but I feel like I've known you my whole life."

"I know! I feel exactly the same way! Is it bad to admit I'd like to kiss some more?"

"_Never._ It is never a bad thing to want to kiss some more!"

I respond by grabbing the back of his head, weaving my fingers into his hair once again, and it feels like my hands were custom-designed to fit at the nape of his neck. I pull his mouth to mine. I have no idea where this assertive persona is coming from, but I don't want to let her get away. I'm so swept up in the moment, I almost forget who I am kissing. This is _Edward Cullen_. The beautiful boy I met at lunch today. And he's kissing me. And he thinks I kiss very well. And all I can think to do is to just keep kissing him, because I never want this feeling to go away. I can't even name all these new sensations, but I do notice that I'm so wet I'm starting to soak through my jeans, which I find totally embarrassing. I hope it doesn't turn Edward off.

"Bella, is it okay if I take off your shirt? I'm dying to get my hands on your amazing knockers. I haven't stopped thinking about them since you flashed your t-shirt at me during lunch."

I wince at the memory, but don't even need to think this one through before answering with an adamant "YES!" I grab the bottom of my t-shirt and fling it off. I'm wearing a very plain black bra that clasps in the front. He's never seen one before.

"Um, how does this work?"

I look him in the eye and slyly tuck my thumb behind the clasp, pull it out, and unhook it; my breasts spill out to greet him. His eyes grow wide and he flashes that dazzling crooked smile at me. Then he takes both of my breasts gently into his palms.

"God, Bella, your tits are luscious. They fit perfectly in my hands." He starts rubbing my nipples between his thumbs and forefingers, and I suddenly feel like I'm going to explode. I think I might be having an out-of-body experience.

_I was actually willing to live without this? I don't think so!_

Before I realize what he is doing, his lips leave mine and start to trace a path across my jaw, until he reaches my ear. He nibbles carefully on my earlobe and I gasp audibly.

"Bella, you're wound up so tight. Just relax…like the song," he coos in my ear.

"It's just that I've never felt anything like this before, I don't know what to expect!"

He continues to move his lips and tongue down my neck, occasionally sliding his nose back and forth. "You smell so delicious, I just want to snort you in all night."

As he reaches the nape of my neck, he lightly nips the skin there, at the same time he pinches my nipples, hard. I groan so loudly, I blush and pull back from him slightly.

"What? Was that too hard?"

"Oh my god, no…it was just too much! It's all pretty overwhelming…"

"Do you want to stop?"

My first instinct is to say _Hell, no!_ But then I start to wonder if maybe this isn't a bit too much, and not such a bad idea to slow down. As I'm lost in thought, Edward takes a deep breath in.

"Bella, why don't we call it quits for tonight."

I choke out, "But…," and Edward places his fingers on my lips.

"Here's what I'd like to propose. Let's just spend the next few days getting to know one another, and then go out on Friday and grab a bite to eat."

"But neither one of us dates…"

Edward just grins his crooked grin, and whispers into my ear "I might be willing to make an exception."

_And then, the blush reappears, just like magic!_

"Okay, it's a deal. Oh! I almost forgot! Friday is my birthday!"

"Perfect! We'll consider it your birthday present."

I look at my watch and realize it is almost midnight. I can't believe I just passed most of the day with a _guy_, a beautiful, sexy, amazing guy, on the very day I gave up for good. Edward notices that I'm looking at the time, and offers to give me a ride back to my dorm. Who am I to say no?

We walk out to his car, a gorgeous silver Volvo. We climb in and head for my place. I've seen so many movies where a woman gets dropped off after a date, not knowing whether or not she is going to be kissed, and everything turns awkward and uncomfortable. I don't feel any of that discomfort with Edward. Everything just seems very natural and unforced. As he puts the car in park, he turns to me, places his palms on my cheeks, and draws my face towards his. He gives me a slow, soft, wet kiss, very gentle. He pulls back from my lips, just slightly, and tells me,

"You are the most incredible woman I've ever met, Isabella Swan. Thank you for letting me be the one to give you your first kiss. It was exceptional."

"I have to agree. I think my toes are still curled up."

"Do you want to meet for breakfast tomorrow? I don't have class until 9:00."

I roll my eyes, knowing it means I would have to get up early. _Getting up early just to look into those eyes? Yeah, I could manage that._ Without considering it further, I hear myself say, "I'd love to!"

"I'll be by to pick you up around 8:00, OK?"

I open the car door and turn to him before exiting, saying simply, "See you then." I shut the car door and watch him drive away.

When I get to my room, Rose and Alice attack at once.

"Oh my god, Bella, you made out with Edward, didn't you?" Alice screams.

I blush deeply in reply.

Rose starts cackling out loud, "Well, there's your answer, Alice!"

I start to shuffle off to my room, suddenly feeling incredibly tired. I feel two arms yanking me back.

"Oh, no, sister. No bedtime for you until you spill all your secrets!"

"Alice, I'm too tired for that. Plus, I have to get up early tomorrow."

Alice looks at me and pops up an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't have any 8:00 classes this semester, Bella…"

"I don't have any 8:00 classes, but I do have an 8:00 breakfast with Edward tomorrow morning."

They both squeal at the top of their lungs, jumping up and down. I can't help but smile myself.

Rosalie sums it all up very simply. "Okay, you can go to bed now, because god knows you don't want bags under your eyes. But only on the condition that you spill everything tomorrow night."

I sigh deeply, knowing that this is as good an offer as I will ever get. "It's a deal."

They both hug me at once and scoot me off to bed. As I lay there in the dark, I smile to myself. Less than 24 hours ago, I had given up on love. I had a goddamn epiphany that was totally wrong. Maybe it was exactly what I needed—to send a message to the world that I wasn't desperate anymore, and, surprisingly, that's all it took. I drift off to sleep with a smile on my face and dream of Edward.

**TUESDAY-THURSDAY**

At precisely 8:00 on Tuesday morning, there is a knock on our door. I open it to see that beautiful face looking at me. I used to always think the expression "take my breath away" was nonsense, but that was before I met Edward. Now, it is hard to breathe normally whenever he is in my general vicinity.

I'm slightly worried that the magic from the day before has worn off, and that suddenly Edward will seem like a normal guy to me. I totally feel like Cinderella after the ball—it's past midnight, my carriage became a pumpkin once again, and I lost my damn glass slipper. I take a moment to look at Edward's profile while he drives us to breakfast. I still can't get over how sublime it is. If I had a protractor handy (and what English major does?), I would totally measure the angle of his jaw—I'm sure it is a perfect 90 degree angle. I look away from his face to his hands as they are clasped around the steering wheel. I've never really thought much about hands, but that was before I laid eyes on these specimens. His fingers are so long and elegant, his hands nice and big. When he moves his right hand down to shift the gear, I notice how he coils his fingers around the stick while his thumb rests on top. I get a lewd flash in my head, thinking of how those fingers would look wrapped around his cock when he whacks off.

_Jesus Christ, Bella, it is only 8:00 in the morning and you're already perving out!_

I try to refocus my energy on something more productive. I don't recognize the tape he has playing, so I ask him about it.

"Oh, this is the Violent Femmes. They're a band from Wisconsin. They come to Chicago a lot, so I've seen them play there. They rock."

I have to agree. I couldn't wait to learn about the all the music in Edward's collection. I've never met anyone who has a more eclectic taste in music, and knows about all the different bands I like. His repertoire is impressive and includes a lot of classical pieces, as Edward divulged he plays the piano. Now those hands were even more attractive to me, knowing what they could do to a keyboard…_not helping, Bella—Focus!_

The rest of our day continues to be a series of comings and goings. Edward meets me after my classes, we go to lunch together with our friends, and hang out in the library to do people watching under the pretense of studying. Since we can't talk out loud, we pass notes back and forth filled with snarky comments about everyone who walks by.

_I think that guy secretly has a gerbil shoved up his ass…look at the face he is making while he reads that book!_

_Dude, did you just Vulcan mind meld with me? Because I was thinking exactly the same thing!! Either that, or he has a lump of coal shoved so far up his ass, in two weeks it will be a diamond!_

_Well, you can't deny the laws of physics, Captain! And actually, I used a Jedi mind trick on you…_

I start to snort out loud, which earns me a bump on the shoulder from Edward. Then he writes a new note:

_What about that chick in the corner—she totally has the hots for the geek in the opposite corner! She's practically undressing him with her four eyes! _

Edward snickers out loud when I peruse a bit too closely.

_Swan, clearly you need a lesson in People Watching 101. Rule #1: Don't ever let them KNOW you're looking at them. Look at the wall that is near them, so you never look directly into their eyes. Got it, my young Padawan?_

Of course, I can't help myself, and I keep laughing and snorting non-stop. We get about 5 warnings from the librarian before she ultimately kicks us out. By that time, we need to go back to our dorms anyhow, so Edward drops me off in the same fashion as last night, ending the day with a sweet, soft kiss, and a promise to meet me for breakfast tomorrow.

Once I arrive home, the questions fly at me like an ICBM headed straight for Moscow. I do my best impression of a Strategic Missile Defense System and effectively deflect their queries for the time being by dodging quickly into my room and slamming the door shut—if only my dorm door was as impenetrable as the Berlin Wall…

The rest of the week continues in a similar pattern, and we spend nearly every second of our free time together. We went from not even knowing one another to being best buds in the span of a few days. Well, best buds who kiss each other on occasion. I have to take this friendship at face value—Edward has made it clear he isn't interested in dating anyone. That's probably the reason we get along so well; there is no expectation to carry the relationship any further.

What I don't expect from this friendship, however, is how much fun I am having discovering all these new guy-related things. Specifically, sex-related, guy-related things. Because, clearly, my knowledge of all things peen is very limited. Edward has no qualms answering any pervy question that I have regarding guys, sex, peens, whatever. Like, for instance, I had NO CLUE that guys beat off all the time. Like this is totally normal behavior. Huh, who knew? Edward also asks me about periods, and girl stuff, because apparently Tanya never talked about any of that. We're both fascinated by what we discover about the opposite sex. And it is stuff we never would have known, had we not been best buds. For the first time, I'm not embarrassed about any of this stuff, because I'm talking about it with Edward. He's safe, never taking advantage of the situation. Most importantly, he's candid, and I trust the answers he gives me. There is no hidden agenda between us. He's like no one I've ever met before, and I absolutely love our friendship.

**FRIDAY**

Friday morning arrives, and it is my 21st birthday. I wake up to the sound of Madonna's song _Like a Virgin_ blaring on Rosalie's stereo. I'm not amused. I bolt out of bed and into the common room, where Rosalie and Alice have set up balloons, streamers, and party paraphernalia. I cross my arms as I silently convey my dissatisfaction with the arrangement.

Rosalie screams over the music, "Payback's a bitch, Bella. Too bad you didn't think it was important enough to give us all the skinny on Edward."

I shuffle off to take a quick shower and do my best to ignore the harpies.

Edward insists on bringing all 6 of us out to breakfast to celebrate; the guys drive separately and meet us at the café. On the way there, Rosalie and Alice start giving me a hard time about the amount of time I've been spending with Edward.

"What? We're friends…we just hang out and listen to music and study. What's the big deal?"

"Bella, you spend more time with Edward than we do with our respective boyfriends, who we've been dating for over a year!"

"That's not my problem, Rose. I just know Edward is one of my best friends, and we love being together."

Alice grins at me tauntingly and says, "You love _what_, Bella?"

I scream and shake my fists in the air, "This conversation is officially over. Knock it off!" My friends just smile and give each other high fives. Bitches.

When we get to the café, Alice hauls out a plastic birthday crown for me to wear. I refuse, she pouts, I relent. The story of my life with Alice…

I don't even have to order, because the second I walk in, the waitress brings me a stack of pancakes with a birthday candle in it. I give the stink eye to everyone at the table, and Edward gives me a very innocent, "What?"

"Apparently, Edward, you don't know me well enough yet to understand that I _loathe_ being the center of attention and I _hate_ celebrating my birthday!"

Emmett and Jasper start laughing out loud, "Bella, _no one_ can hate celebrating their 21st birthday!"

Edward announces to the table that he will make sure I get a chance to celebrate appropriately tonight at dinner.

_Oh shit, I forgot to tell the girls about the "date." They are going to pulverize me!_

Alice smiles sweetly and asks Edward, "Bella is going to dinner tonight? With you? Alone?" I see _exactly_ where she is going with this.

"Yes, Alice, my FRIEND, Edward, is bringing me to dinner tonight to celebrate my birthday as FRIENDS."

Alice just gives us a knowing look, a quick nod, and drops the subject.

The rest of breakfast passes without incident and we all head off to class. Before I know it, I'm done with classes for the day and heading back to my dorm to get ready to meet Edward. When I open the door, I see Alice and Rosalie fully prepared for battle. I don't quite understand what's going on, until I recognize that the battle is my spending the evening with Edward. I groan audibly, and Alice looks at me sternly.

"Hey, Missy, if you are skipping out of celebrating your 21st birthday with us in lieu of messing around with Edward, you WILL subject yourself to be appropriately attired for the situation."

"Aw, come on, Alice! It's just dinner!"

"Bella, would you rather I guilt trip you about this for the next six months?" she asks, pointedly.

I sigh, plunk myself down in front of the girls, and they go to work. A few hours later, I barely recognize myself. I have on copious amounts of makeup and my hair has been curled and teased to extraordinary heights; I'm fairly certain it requires additional oxygen to reach the upper peaks of my hair. I have on a very small and tight black mini skirt, a neon rainbow-striped tunic with a wide black belt at the waist, and black spiky heels. When I see my final reflection in the mirror, I'm in shock.

"Alice, I'm not the lead singer of Bon Jovi…"

"Can it, Bella. You _do _want to look hot for Edward, right? Because right now, I'd fuck you, you're so hot."

"Guys, this isn't like a date or anything…we're just grabbing a bite to eat and then hanging out."

They just grin at each other and start laughing.

"What? What am I missing?"

"Bella, do you want to stamp your v-card on your 21st birthday or not?"

"Rose, what part of 'this isn't a date' did you not understand? Because there isn't gonna be any hanky panky goin' on tonight!"

"Yeah, you're totally gonna be listening to Duran Duran!"

I sigh. These two are impossible, and no amount of arguing is going to stop them. Fortunately for me, there is a knock at our door, and my beautiful Prince Charming has come to rescue Cinderella from her evil stepsisters.

"Ferris Bueller, you're my hero!"

Edward answers with his crooked smirk. "Then come with me, Princess. Your chariot awaits," he says, offering me his arm as he escorts me out of the room and down to the Volvo.

"You know, Cinderella has nothing on me. She had to sit in a pumpkin transformed into a carriage for a few hours. Give me a shiny silver Volvo any day."

"I'm pretty partial to it, myself."

I have no idea where Edward is taking me. I'm pleasantly surprised when he pulls up at his apartment. He walks around the car, opens my door, and escorts me inside.

"From what I know of you so far, Princess Swan, I recognize that you prefer the simpler things in life. I got rid of Emmett and Jasper for the night and I'm treating you to a picnic dinner Chez Edward." With that, he opens the apartment door and bows, motioning for me to enter.

"Much have you learned, young Skywalker. It sounds perfect."

"Well, it also means we get to control the music we listen to all night."

Edward has a huge blanket spread out on the floor, along with a picnic basket. He sits me down and runs into the kitchen. I hear him fumbling around and suddenly there is a large _pop!_ Edward comes out with a bottle of champagne, sits next to me, and pours us both a glass. I start to lift the flute to my mouth when he stops me.

"Bella, what kind of birthday would it be if we didn't toast to you?" He winks at me and lifts his glass in the air. "To Bella's 21st birthday: May it yield happiness, laughter, and good friendship." He clinks his champagne flute to mine and leans over to give me a swift kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you, Edward. I've certainly never been toasted like that before. It's really nice."

"_Everyone_ deserves a good birthday toast, Bella."

Edward opens the picnic basket and pulls out a beautiful spread. We dig in and help ourselves while talking nonstop, just like always. We cover everything from Transformers (_totally lame-o_) to Monty Python (_totally rules_), Star Wars (_his fave_) to Star Trek (_my fave_). As is usually the case between Edward and me, the conversation quickly deviates to sex talk. Somehow, we stumble upon the topic of sexual fantasies.

"So, Bella, what are some of your fantasies?"

Naturally, I blush furiously at that question. "No way. That is not on the agenda for this evening!"

"Bella, what's the deal? You've never been squeamish about this before!"

"Yeah, but fantasies, Edward? Come on—that's just way too personal!"

Edward gazes directly into my eyes and says softly, "If I tell you one of mine, will you tell me one of yours?"

"What, is this like the adult version of doctor? You show me yours, I'll show you mine?"

Edward wags his eyebrows. "Will you show me yours?"

"That's not what I meant! It was only a metaphor!"

The King of Smirks reappears. "But it wasn't a bad idea, right?"

"Are you trying to get into my pants, Edward Cullen?"

"If I recall, Ms. Swan, you are wearing a skirt tonight…"

That fricking smirk is still pasted on his face. Asswipe. I decide two can play this game.

I pull out my best doe eyes and answer him coyly, "How would you know what I am or am not wearing, hmm?"

I see Edward swallow hard, and that gorgeous Adam's apple of his bobs up and down. I'm staring at it and thinking about what it would feel like to run my tongue over that spot. I shake my head to get rid of the image.

He puts his hand on my knee. "Do you want me to find out?"

My breath hitches. This game is getting very hot and very heavy, fast.

"Do _you_ want to find out?"

"Don't answer a question with a question. I asked you first, Swan!"

I stare directly in his eyes now, and see they are darker than they were just a few minutes ago. I've never seen him with such an intense look, and it's like his eyes zapped a trail directly to my crotch. I can feel a sudden release of wetness. I lean over towards him and whisper, "I think I'm done eating, Edward."

You'd think that Edward just found Willy Wonka's fifth Golden Ticket, the way he grabs my hand, runs to his room, and locks the door. Our lips crash together while we both fumble with our clothes—it's like they can't come off fast enough.

I remember how magical Edward's kisses are, and how his hands feel on my breasts, but aside from that, I have no experience to gauge how I will react if we proceed further—I have no idea what to expect. We haven't even talked about my v-card status yet, but there is an unspoken trust between us, and I can't imagine a better person to stamp that card than Edward. Before we move on, I need to give him permission to take something I so badly want to give away. I pull away from our kiss.

"Edward, um, I don't really know how to say this, so I'm just going to say it. I'm a virgin, obviously, and I'd really like to change that status if it is all right with you."

"Bella, are you sure? I mean, four days ago you had your first kiss…this isn't too sudden for you?"

"No! I didn't think I'd ever have the chance to lose my virginity at the rate I was going. I can't think of anyone I would trust more with it than you."

"You know there is no going back…and it's probably gonna hurt like a bitch."

"I know. I just really, really want to do this, and I want to do it with you. Is that okay?"

"You don't have to ask more than once. Of course it's okay!"

"I'm on the pill already, by the way, for cramps. So we'll be safe."

With that, the hunger and passion we exhibited just a few minutes ago melts into something deeper. Edward picks me up and carries me over to his bed, then gently lays me down. Before continuing, he walks over to his stereo and put on Roxy Music's album _Avalon_, then makes his way back to me in all of his shirtless glory.

Edward positions himself between my legs, with his weight resting on his forearms. He carefully slides his hands behind my head and gently moves towards my lips. The instant his lips grace mine, a familiar feeling of warmth spreads over my body. We take our time, exploring each other's mouths. Edward's tongue is like a work of art—it is really long, and so velvety soft. He traces a line around my lips, and then I open my mouth and our tongues join together. It feels like a dance, with each of us trading the lead back and forth. I am incredibly aroused just from kissing him; I can't even imagine what the rest will be like. After kissing for awhile, Edward's tongue works its way along my jaw line to my ear. He takes my earlobe into his mouth and nibbles delicately.

He whispers into my ear, "I'm just going to take it all slow, so we can savor this together." All I can do is nod my head in ascension.

With that, Edward turns back to business. His wicked good tongue slooooowly makes its way down my neck, and every second is exquisite torture. While he is busy on my neck, my hips have taken on a mind of their own, and I'm grinding away against his very evident hard on. I don't even realize what I'm doing until he brings it to my attention.

"Bella," he pants heavily, "you need to stop doing that or we aren't even going to make it to second base."

"Huh?" is the most intellectual response I'm capable of at the moment.

"You're dry humping my business, love. Let's just minimize the stimulation in that general area for awhile."

I blush and apologize and his right hand moves from my hair to my breast. Having learned the trick to removing my bra earlier in the week, he deftly snaps it open and releases my girls. The minute he sees them pop out from my bra, he is on them like a moth to a flame. He takes one in each hand and buries himself in my cleavage with a large groan.

"Bella, I don't think I can tell you enough how awesome your bazooms are."

"That reminds me of Ricki Lake in _Cry Baby_: 'Our bazooms are our weapons!' Personally, I don't get what the big deal is—mine are nothing remarkable, especially compared to everyone else's."

Edward lifts his face up from my cleavage and looks me straight in the eye. "Excuse me? These two beauties, right here, the ones that fit perfectly in my hands? These are the tits you are calling unremarkable?"

"Well, yeah, I've always been kind of self-conscious about them, actually."

"Bella, if I could be buried deep in your cleavage for the rest of my life, I would die a very, very happy man."

I just shake my head and redirect his face back to where it belongs. He moves his head so it is directly above my right breast, and slowly circles the tip of his nose around my now stiff peaks. He snakes that wicked tongue of his out of his mouth and circles it around the nipple, then blows on it slowly. At this point, I'm certain that there is a nerve pathway that goes straight from the tip of my nipple to my clit, and I arch my back in response. Edward smirks with satisfaction, apparently feeling pretty smug about his seduction skills. And you know what? I'm not going to debate that one, because he has every reason in the world to be smug. I've never felt anything like this. Each new sensation bombards me as more intense than the last. I don't know where the sounds I'm making are coming from, but there is no stopping them. Edward doesn't seem to mind that I am enjoying myself so much.

Once he has given the girls a good workout, his sinful tongue starts working its way down my abdomen. He places his hands on either side of my ribs, with his thumbs directly under my breasts. His palms move along my sides as his tongue makes its way towards my cunt. As I am gasping and moaning at the top of my lungs, a solitary, lucid thought enters my mind: _Oh my god, he is going straight for the poon!_ I look down at him, and he looks back up into my eyes. All I can see is two green pools of lust and I swear I feel a rush of wetness from that alone. He skims his nose along my panties.

"Do you have any idea how amazing you smell? I can't wait to taste you."

All I can do is whimper and watch things unfold.

Edward hooks his thumbs around the sides of my panties, and I lift my hips for him as he slides them off and tosses them aside. Kneeling between my legs, he takes his finger and slides along my wetness, easing it inside me. I buck in response. He adds another finger while moving his thumb to slide across my clit. My entire body jerks as I feel his thumb get to work.

"Have you ever cum before, Bella?"

I blush and shake my head, which is all I seem capable of doing at the moment.

"Then I want you to cum for me. I want to see your face when I make you cum," he growls to me.

I close my eyes, unable to take in both the intensity of his gaze and the sensations he is creating deep within me. I feel like a jack-in-the-box. Edward is the one turning the crank, making my response coil up tighter and tighter until—_Pop! Goes the weasel—_I spring open. I feel a sudden rush, my eyes roll back in my head, and the warmth oozes out of me. Edward leans down and laps it up. Just the feeling of his hot mouth on my sensitive slit causes my body to continue jerking and pulsing. It is the most powerful, wonderful feeling in the world. I finally understand what everyone has been talking about! It's like the mysteries of the universe have been solved by a single orgasm. Yeah, it's that fucking incredible.

Edward pauses his attentions for a minute to let me settle down. As I float back to earth and slowly regain my senses, I realize that I haven't even touched him yet. I feel so selfish, and decide I need to correct the discrepancy at once. I push him backwards on the bed and slide his boxers down his legs and toss them aside. What I see in front of me has me totally shocked. Having never seen a real, live peen before (only in the pornos that Rosalie and Alice subject me to periodically under the guise of "edutainment"), I just take a moment to ogle him. His dick has to be one of the 7 wonders of the world; it is positively stunning. He's long and thick, and he is so hard his cock is throbbing in time with his heartbeat. My hands go straight to him, just sliding over his hardness, amazed at how smooth and beautiful it is. With my touch, Edward groans and thrusts his hips. I notice a small pool of wetness at the tip, so I take that and spread it around with my fingertip. I tighten my hand around his cock and pump up and down; Edward's moans tell me that I must be doing something right. I'm absolutely fascinated by his cock, and I get a sudden urge to see what it feels like in my mouth. As long as I'm doing this tonight, I want to experience the whole shebang. I approach the head like a popsicle, circling my tongue around it, and Edward responds with a hiss. I am totally empowered knowing his body responds to me so fully.

Suddenly, I recognize a sensation in my clit that requires immediate attention; I simply cannot wait a moment longer. I sit back onto my knees that say to Edward, "I need you, right now." He nods, and shifts my body to lie underneath him.

"You're absolutely sure about this Bella? Because this is the point of no return."

I nod my head animatedly. "I'm 21 now, Edward, and it's about time. You're the only person I want to lose it to."

"Okay. I'll go slowly, but no matter what, it's going to hurt. You just tell me when you need me to slow down or stop."

We're looking directly into each other's eyes as he positions himself above me. He rubs his amazing cock back and forth through my wetness, preparing to enter me. It is the singular, most incredible feeling in the world.

"Fuck, Bella, you are so wet for me. I can't tell you how hot that is."

He slowly eases the head of his cock inside me, and stops to let me adjust to the feeling. It definitely hurts, but feels so mind-blowing at the same time. It's surreal to experience both things simultaneously. He is still looking directly at me, waiting for me to be ready for more. Silently, I nod for him to continue. As he eases himself further inside of me, I feel an overwhelming burning sensation along with a sharp sting, and it causes me to suck in my breath suddenly. Edward stops instantly.

"Are you okay, Bella? I'm so sorry it has to hurt like this. Do you want to stop?"

"God, no! Just give me a second." I take a few breaths and try to relax. "Okay, let's do this, Edward!" I encourage him.

He eases into me the rest of the way, filling me completely, thrusting gently.

"Jesus, Bella, you are so tight. You feel so incredible wrapped around me."

As Edward picks up speed with his thrusts, the incredible intensity outweighs the slight discomfort I feel. Edward reaches down between us and starts rubbing on my clit. Instinctively, I move down to replace his hand with my own. He is getting pretty worked up now, and groans out in between his panting "_That…is…so…fucking…hot…Swan! Gonna…jizz…any…second…"_

I suddenly realize that I am in the midst of losing my virginity to the most beautiful man on the planet. That thought distracts me for an instant, until I hear Edward strain out, "_Bella…cum…with…me…"_ and I return to the moment with him. All I can see are his mesmerizing green eyes and feel the jack-in-the-box tightening once again. This time, however, Edward's cock is buried deep inside me, thrusting in and out. When my orgasm hits, it is ten times more powerful than before. I arch and buck wildly as I scream out his name. Edward catches up to me several thrusts later, releasing with a groan. We're both panting and Edward nuzzles his head into the side of my neck while squeezing me tightly.

"Bella, that was phenomenal. You are totally a natural."

_Cue the fricking blush once again. Now that I stamped my v-card, can we at least get a respite from the blush, already?!_

I secure my hands within that amazing mop of hair, right where they belong, and sigh contentedly. "I think the 'phenomenal' part has more to do with you than me, Edward. All I can say is you transported me to another galaxy and I'm not entirely sure I'll ever get back to where I used to be."

Edward lifts his head to look directly at my face. "That was the whole idea, Bella, to get you to an entirely new place. And, love? I'll go there with you anytime you like…"

We lay tangled together, a mess of arms and legs. Gradually, we shift positions until we are spooning together; Edward's arms are wrapped tightly around me. Smiling, I think to myself, _Best. Birthday. Present. Ever. _Our breathing slows and we drift off to sleep.

**_This is dedicated to my hubs, who has been my own personal brand of heroin since we met in the caf 25 years ago…_**


End file.
